Laserfiche WebLink
Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plans - Rules 2.05.3 and 2.05.4 <br /> Mining at the West Elk Mine began in 1982. The West Elk Mine leasehold consists of mineable <br /> coal reserves in seven Federal coal leases, one private lease and other fee coal properties. The <br /> mine permit area encompasses approximately 19,854.9 acres. Coal production in 2017 was 4.9 <br /> million tons, with 3-6 million tons of production projected annually from 2018 through 2023. <br /> Coal is produced using the longwall mining method. <br /> Six major coal seams exist within the West Elk Mine permit boundary. The seams are identified <br /> by the letters A through F, in ascending stratigraphic order. The seams are separated by shale, <br /> siltstone, and sandstone beds that vary in thickness from 15 feet to more than 250 feet. MCC's <br /> leasehold has economically minable coal reserves in two of the seams, the B-seam and the E- <br /> seam. Mining was by room-and-pillar methods until 1992 when longwall mining began in the <br /> northern B-seam. A new longwall was acquired in 2008 for mining in the E-seam, and is <br /> intended to be used for future mining in the southern B-seam. <br /> MCC mined in the F-seam from 1982 to 1991 in leases D-004569 and C-0117192. This mining <br /> was only marginally successful. Poor mine roof conditions, sandstone channels, low coal areas, <br /> poor coal quality areas, and other unfavorable conditions have negatively affected mining and <br /> rendered the F-seam uneconomic under past and present market conditions. Mining in the F- <br /> seam has been discontinued, pending improved economics for this seam. Existing workings in <br /> the F-seam are shown on Map 50 of the PAP. <br /> In April 1989, an application for a technical revision for an incidental boundary change to add <br /> 35.5 acres to the permit area was submitted. The revision was for access and associated <br /> activities by way of slopes and a ventilation shaft from inside the existing F-seam workings to <br /> the B-seam. The revision also included mining in the B-seam by room and pillar, as well as <br /> longwall mining methods. The 35.5-acre incidental boundary change was necessary to <br /> accommodate the B-seam main access entries. The Division subsequently issued a proposed <br /> decision to approve the revision on July 12, 1989. <br /> The mine plan for the B-seam is shown on Map 52 of the PAP. Mining has been completed in <br /> the northern B-seam reserves (in leases D-044569, CO-117192, C0054558 and COC-67011), <br /> but recoverable reserves totaling an estimated 31.4 million tons remain in leases COC-56447, <br /> COC-67232 and C-1362. Since recoverable reserves in the E-seam overlie the projected B-seam <br /> panels, it is intended that most of the remaining E-seam reserves be mined out before returning <br /> to the southern B-seam reserves by new rock slope entries from the E-seam workings, as <br /> approved in TR-137. <br /> In January 2000, elevated levels of indicator gases showed there was probable combustion in gob <br /> in a mined-out area of the B-West mains. Operations were curtailed and MCC immediately <br /> began an operation to access the B-seam by drilling into the mine from the Apache Rocks area <br /> above. Approval was obtained from both the Division and the US Forest Service to initiate a <br /> drilling program in that area. Nineteen 4-inch boreholes were drilled for locating the combustion <br /> area and water was pumped into that part of the workings. In the spring of 2001, the Mine <br /> Safety and Health Administration(MSHA) gave MCC permission to curtail the pumping of <br /> water, so the company completely sealed off the area underground and initiated the approved <br /> reclamation of the disturbed ground on the surface. <br /> 24 <br />